Following up on our blog post ‘How to Succeed at Maths’, we wanted to share with you some top tips from our team of expert tutors, on how you can improve at English. This applies for any level – whether you are working on SPaG for that upcoming 11+ entrance exam or trying to improve your essays for GCSEs and A levels in the summer, these tips will help you to succeed. 

1. Read! The most important thing you can do is try to figure out what you enjoy reading. Even if you don’t enjoy the fiction books that most students read, maybe you can find something else – non-fiction is a great option if you are more STEM focused; or trying different genres – you might like a genre that you never could’ve expected! And don’t forget, reading doesn’t have to be expensive, it’s free and easy to get yourself a library card for your local library, and with library books, if you don’t like them, you don’t have to finish them so you can try out plenty of different genres. Reading will also help you to improve your vocabulary and help with other aspects of English, such as creative writing.
2. Get your SPaG right. As boring as it can be, it is really important that you demonstrate to the examiner that you have excellent SPaG – this will improve their overall impression of your writing and make them more likely to give you a higher mark. 
3. Practice under time pressure. One of the most difficult things is writing under pressure – usually most of us find ourselves with writer’s block if we put too much pressure on ourselves, but in the exam you have to write in the time given, so practice this at home! It will get you more used to the pressure, which will allow you to structure your writing better and by the time it comes to exams you’ll be able to write a lot more in the time given. 
4. Practice creative writing lots. In order to improve your creative writing, try to expand your vocabulary and always make sure that you plan your piece of writing beforehand. This will ensure that you have a great structure and that your story makes sense. 

We are always here to help, so feel free to call us, and talk to one of our expert tutors, who will help you to develop your writing; come up with a revision plan and improve your grades. We provide tailored tuition and will ensure that you get enough practice so that you feel confident going into your exams. Contact us for your free assessment and get paired up with your ideal tutor.